New Year... New Start - onwards and downwards.
- Thread starter Caz
- Start date
RainbowRose
Gold Member
Hi Caz, glad you survived the first week back 
definately relax today...get online...plan and drool over your next holiday
Have a good weekend
definately relax today...get online...plan and drool over your next holiday Have a good weekend
Caz
Repeat Offender
Sunday evening again, where'd the time go?! Had a lovely weekend, not really sure why as we haven't done a lot but it has just been nice. Not ready for work tomorrow though, would quite like another day! I don't think I've said much about my new class and school yet have I? Well, here's the low down.
The staff are great, really like everyone there as they're all really friendly, supportive and welcoming. My TA is fantastic, really get on well with her both professionally and socially. We've got a staff night out on the 20th which will be a great opportunity to get to know people more.
The class are a mixed bunch really. They're all pretty lovely, no-one is too much trouble really. There's a couple who I'll need to keep an eye on to make sure they're on task but on the whole, they're a good class but there's a few challenges. There's one boy who, quite frankly, absolutely does my head in! He doesn't ever talk, he just shouts all the time and makes silly noises, he constantly questions everything you say, shouts out on the carpet, has to be told to do things 3 or 4 times and doesn't help to tidy up. He's going to get annoying as the year goes on if he doesn't change! I've got a few children who are REALLY far behind, they're able to count verbally to 20 but can't write any numbers, know very few phonics sounds and can't even write their name so they'll be a challenge. There's a few EAL children with quite poor understanding. I've got an autistic boy in my class but he was only in for one day and then off the next two (there seems to be a lot of absences), he's well behaved but really struggles in his understanding and gets upset really easily if he thinks someone is upset or angry, unfortunately although he has a statement we've only been given 2 SEN TAs and have 1 statemented child in each of the 3 classes and as the other two have behaviour issues and can be violent, he's lost out. It's a real shame and I'll keep fighting for more help for him though. I've also got a Romani gypsy/traveller girl who is also a selective mute. She started Reception at Easter so has only been here a term and we don't think she has been to any school before that. She hasn't ever spoken to anyone in school and I'm not sure if she talks at home, she was once really upset so they took her to her older brother and she wouldn't talk to him either, even when the teacher left them alone. She doesn't do a lot and to start with just sat on a chair doing nothing, even when everyone sat on the carpet for register or something she'd sit on a chair, she always looks really sad, won't play with anyone or anything. It's only been 3 days but I think I've made some progress with her, she still won't talk to me but she has smiled at me, twice! That seems to be a big thing for her, she also likes coming to sit by me or holding my hand in the playground. I've also learnt how to kind of get her doing some things, like I needed her to draw a picture of her family so I started by drawing her face and pointing saying her name, then said mum, dad, brother and pointed the the page and put the pencil down and walked away, a few minutes later I looked over and she was doing it, she even communicated who they were by nodding and shaking her head. It doesn't seem like much and maybe it's not but those little things feel like big steps for me, she's the one that I really want to make a difference for this year. I think the stability and routine could really help her, I hope it does.
Right, better get my phonics planned for the week (I forgot earlier, oops!) and get to bed! Night all
The staff are great, really like everyone there as they're all really friendly, supportive and welcoming. My TA is fantastic, really get on well with her both professionally and socially. We've got a staff night out on the 20th which will be a great opportunity to get to know people more.
The class are a mixed bunch really. They're all pretty lovely, no-one is too much trouble really. There's a couple who I'll need to keep an eye on to make sure they're on task but on the whole, they're a good class but there's a few challenges. There's one boy who, quite frankly, absolutely does my head in! He doesn't ever talk, he just shouts all the time and makes silly noises, he constantly questions everything you say, shouts out on the carpet, has to be told to do things 3 or 4 times and doesn't help to tidy up. He's going to get annoying as the year goes on if he doesn't change! I've got a few children who are REALLY far behind, they're able to count verbally to 20 but can't write any numbers, know very few phonics sounds and can't even write their name so they'll be a challenge. There's a few EAL children with quite poor understanding. I've got an autistic boy in my class but he was only in for one day and then off the next two (there seems to be a lot of absences), he's well behaved but really struggles in his understanding and gets upset really easily if he thinks someone is upset or angry, unfortunately although he has a statement we've only been given 2 SEN TAs and have 1 statemented child in each of the 3 classes and as the other two have behaviour issues and can be violent, he's lost out. It's a real shame and I'll keep fighting for more help for him though. I've also got a Romani gypsy/traveller girl who is also a selective mute. She started Reception at Easter so has only been here a term and we don't think she has been to any school before that. She hasn't ever spoken to anyone in school and I'm not sure if she talks at home, she was once really upset so they took her to her older brother and she wouldn't talk to him either, even when the teacher left them alone. She doesn't do a lot and to start with just sat on a chair doing nothing, even when everyone sat on the carpet for register or something she'd sit on a chair, she always looks really sad, won't play with anyone or anything. It's only been 3 days but I think I've made some progress with her, she still won't talk to me but she has smiled at me, twice! That seems to be a big thing for her, she also likes coming to sit by me or holding my hand in the playground. I've also learnt how to kind of get her doing some things, like I needed her to draw a picture of her family so I started by drawing her face and pointing saying her name, then said mum, dad, brother and pointed the the page and put the pencil down and walked away, a few minutes later I looked over and she was doing it, she even communicated who they were by nodding and shaking her head. It doesn't seem like much and maybe it's not but those little things feel like big steps for me, she's the one that I really want to make a difference for this year. I think the stability and routine could really help her, I hope it does.
Right, better get my phonics planned for the week (I forgot earlier, oops!) and get to bed! Night all
Caz
Repeat Offender
Hope it carries on this way! Loving the fact that there are three of us to share planning, makes it a lot less time consuming. It'll all be a steep learning curve for me though but look forward to it really, I like a good challenge!
Seems that some of my family are actually remembering that it's my birthday, I've had two of my sisters ask for my new address. I was pretty surprised!
Seems that some of my family are actually remembering that it's my birthday, I've had two of my sisters ask for my new address. I was pretty surprised!
Aymz
Silver Member
Interesting to hear about your class. Hope it all goes well and sounds as though you've made progress with the selectively mute child. If you want any advice on selective mutism and autism from a Speech and Language therapy point of view then let me know, I'd be happy to help.
Caz
Repeat Offender
Ooh are you a S&L therapist?? I didn't realise that! All advice would be much appreciated. I've got one little girl in my class who gets S&L therapy but I've got another boy who I'm sure needs it so I'm going to try and get the SEN co-ordinator to come in and see him to look at referring him.
Aymz
Silver Member
Caz said:
Yes I am
in general I would just suggest visual support to reinforce what you're saying /trying to get him to understand though you probably knew that. I'd need more info to give specifics and it depends on his language levels. For his anger/upset i would suggest sessions discussing emotions and then linking it to how he feels. To be honest if he has a statement, that is a legal document and the school should really be providing him with support although it depends on what is quantified in his statement. I would also recommend a referral for the girl with selective mutism too.
Caz
Repeat Offender
Ive spoken to the SENCO and requested a referral for my girl who is a selective mute. She was under the impression that it was an EAL issue but I'm sure it's not, at least not completely anyway. She was really upset this morning, wouldn't leave my side and kept crying, I felt so helpless. This afternoon she did some drawing and drew a person with a sad face, it actually quite upset me that I couldn't really help her.
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Caz
Repeat Offender
My point was if it's an EAL thing she'd at least say what little English she knew and she does know some English because she'll communicate with me in nods and shakes of the head and she'll understand very basic instructions. So to me that's not EAL because it shows that she has a basic understanding and she would use that if she could but she obviously doesn't feel able to for whatever reason. This whole referral process will be difficult, mum and dad speak pretty much no English so review meetings will be difficult. I think the cousin can translate basic things, we may need to look at getting a translator in, I'm sure the authority will have those kinds of facilities available.
Squeezyweezy
Gold Member
Here's to being slimmer for 'big' things
Caz
Repeat Offender
I already want to get in the scales and see what they say, god I'm awful with them when I start anything! I just want to see it working instantly. Going to try and keep away from them and just weigh at group, makes it a nice surprise for then. Chances are that won't happen though, not unless I throw my scales away!
Food plan for today...
Breakfast: Yoghurt and fruit
Lunch: Ham, mushroom and onion omelette and fruit
Dinner: Lasagne
Going to attempt a lasagne with quark to make a low sign cheese sauce but only if I'm not back too late from school.
I like this bit at the beginning of a diet, so full of enthusiasm and motivation. I actually really like SW, I think it's the only diet I've ever done that hasn't really felt like a diet, where I can enjoy it and not feel deprived. We have a work night out next Friday but can keep that reasonably on track if I save syns for a few days (I'm not a massive drinker anyway) but other than that I've not got anything coming up to distract me, only things to motivate me. I'm going to forget about numbers this time and not set myself time related goals, just weight goals for whenever I get there. It didn't pile on overnight, it won't disappear overnight!
Food plan for today...
Breakfast: Yoghurt and fruit
Lunch: Ham, mushroom and onion omelette and fruit
Dinner: Lasagne
Going to attempt a lasagne with quark to make a low sign cheese sauce but only if I'm not back too late from school.
I like this bit at the beginning of a diet, so full of enthusiasm and motivation. I actually really like SW, I think it's the only diet I've ever done that hasn't really felt like a diet, where I can enjoy it and not feel deprived. We have a work night out next Friday but can keep that reasonably on track if I save syns for a few days (I'm not a massive drinker anyway) but other than that I've not got anything coming up to distract me, only things to motivate me. I'm going to forget about numbers this time and not set myself time related goals, just weight goals for whenever I get there. It didn't pile on overnight, it won't disappear overnight!
RainbowRose
Gold Member
Good morning Caz. I'm with you, I love the enthusiastic feelings at the beginning of a weight loss plan. I got rid of my scales after a couple of years of depending on them!!..strange at first, but now I know the only weigh in I see..is at the nurse's clinic
Have a great day x
Have a great day x
Squeezyweezy
Gold Member
What you having instead?
Love the enthusiasm Caz, just love it.
Love the enthusiasm Caz, just love it.
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